Reminiscences of the Civil War, 1861-1865

By Preston Lafayette Ledford

"Reminiscences of the Civil War, 1861-1865" by Preston Lafayette Ledford. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Good Press
• Release date: Aug 21, 2022
• ISBN: 4064066432157

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Preston Lafayette Ledford

Reminiscences of the Civil War, 1861-1865

Published by Good Press, 2022

[e-mail]

EAN 4064066432157

Table of Contents

PREFACE.

CHAPTER I. CAUSES LEADING UP TO THE CIVIL WAR.

CHAPTER II. BEGINNING OF HOSTILITIES.

NAMES.

CHAPTER III. CONDITION OF PEOPLE LEFT AT HOME.

CHAPTER IV. PEACE DEMONSTRATIONS AMONG THE PEOPLE.

CHAPTER V. BILL OF FARE IN THE SOUTHERN ARMY.

CHAPTER VI. SURROUNDINGS OF SOLDIERS AND SOLDIER LIFE.

CHAPTER VII. CHARACTERISTICS OF SOLDIERS.

CHAPTER VIII. CITIZENS VISITING IN CAMP AND THE SICK SOLDIER.

CHAPTER IX. INCIDENTS OF CAMP AND PRISON LIFE.

CHAPTER X. PICKET LINES, BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS.

PICKET LINES.

CHAPTER XI. FOURTEENTH REGIMENT NORTH CAROLINA INFANTRY AND GENERAL OFFICERS OF THE ARMY OF NORTHERN VA.

Fourteenth N. C. Regiment. —

CHAPTER XII. RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD.

The Old Time Darkey. —

PREFACE.

Table of Contents

Although many histories have been written and tradition has furnished its part toward the perpetuation of the memory of the exciting times of the civil war, very much occurred that has never been recorded. Monuments may be erected and histories written, but unless the veterans now living get busy and refresh their memories, and the memories of their comrades very much that happened, and ought to be preserved in durable form will with the passing of the main actors pass into oblivion. The Confederate Soldiers now living are all old men, and each one could, and ought to contribute items of information that would be interesting to the children and adults of future generations. These scenes, anecdotes, incidents and historical facts ought to be written by the soldiers themselves, for by no other means can a correct history of the war period be handed down to posterity.

I undertake my part of the task well knowing the information that I shall try to give will not be pictured in a graphic style to please the overeducated critic, but I feel assured that though written in a plain style the facts narrated will be read and appreciated by many who will not depreciate the information given, on account of the lack of embellishment or absence of the style so pleasing to the lovers of eloquence, poetry, song and graphic story.

The following pages written by a plain confederate soldier who spent three years in the war instead of at college are submitted to the public upon the merits of the information given, without claiming any literary merit. Feeling that I am performing an imperative duty that I owe to the cause and my country, I respectfully dedicate the reminiscences to the soldiers of the late war who were my comrades while passing through the trying ordeal.

In another decade by the sweep of time,

Many of the Veterans will fall out of line;

After a score of years very few there will be

For people then living to entertain or see.

The few that are left will be old and alone,

And quietly waiting for the summons to come;

Not until the last one shall have passed away

Will justice be done to the heroes of that day

Monuments will be erected on the ground where they sleep

And generations to come will their memory keep,

Patriots will pause with trembling and fear

And reverently on their graves drop a tear.

A responsibility now rests on veterans passing away

To rescue from oblivion the doings of that day.

We may not with a facile pen

Give a glowing description of scenes and men.

We can in a plain and plausible way

Give a rough sketch of the doings of that day.

After we have gone to our final home,

These sketches will be read by generations to come.

Let us be up and doing and work with might

And though late in the day commemorate the right.

Reminiscences of the Civil War, 1861-1865.

---

CHAPTER I.

CAUSES LEADING UP TO THE CIVIL WAR.

Table of Contents

Origin of the War.

—At this time, more than forty years removed from the date of the exciting scenes enacted in the sixties, I desire for the benefit and edification of my relatives, soldier friends and other special friends, in a plain unvarnished style to record a few of the incidents and doings of the people, who were active participants in the drama of those strenuous times. I shall not confine myself to dates or specially comment on the personal history of anyone, but merely wish to rescue from oblivion such items of information as occur to me, quoting entirely from memory, not having any notes taken at the time to refer to. I propose to deal in facts, and any reference I may make will reflect my views from the stand point of a young man of that period. For a few years prior to the beginning of the war, I by reading the current literature or newspaper productions of the country, and listening to discussions of leading men of the times, had kept myself fairly well posted. The signs of the times were ominous and indications pointed to a disruption. Dark, threatening clouds of war seemed to hover over our fair land that had so long enjoyed the blessings of peace and prosperity. Perhaps we did not appreciate or failed to realize it, we were really living in a land that flowed with milk and honey.

Party Lines.

—Like every other great revolution the awful calamity was preceded by a political revolution. Party lines were broken and sectional issues caused an alignment of parties North and South. The burning questions of Slavery and State Rights were brought prominently to the front. Incendiary speeches were made and incendiary literature scattered broadcast over the land. The National Democratic Party assembled in convention, disagreed upon a platform, and the result was a division of the delegates and the placing of two candidates in the field for president viz.: Douglas and Breckenridge. The old Whig Party was defunct and its scattered forces rallied with Bell for its standard bearer, assuming the name of Knownothing, or American Party. North of Mason and Dixon’s line a strong sectional party had been organized known as the Republican Party, with Abraham Lincoln for its candidate for the presidency. The campaign was fierce and bitter to the extreme. The leaders advocating the claims of their respective candidates were aggressive and abusive, and the people wrought up to a high pitch of excitement. The canvassing and comparing: the votes in the Electoral College gave Lincoln the requisite number, and he was declared elected. On the fourth day of March 1861 he became president of the United States. The fanatics of the North and fire eaters of the South at once got busy, and by their officious activity precipitated the war.

States Secede.

—The Cotton States seceded and set up a government of their own. Jefferson Davis was elected president of the Southern Confederacy. North Carolina with other border States waited for some overt act of Lincoln before passing the Ordinance of Secession. A convention was called, delegates elected and assembled. The convention was composed of delegates, a majority of whom were elected as union delegates, and of course the delegates were backed by a constituency of the same sentiment. The people of the old North State clung to the Union as long